Page 176 - CW E-Magazine (3-10-2023)

ICC Annual Awards 2022

becomes safer, more sustainable, and more Department of Chemicals & Petrochemi- India signed the treaty in 1993. A total
environmentally responsible,” he said. cals (DCPC), spoke about the various of 47 chemicals are listed under three
international conventions pertaining to Schedules annexed to the Convention.
Mr. Goculdas informed that the ICC the chemical industry to which the Indian
awards – except for three – are based on government is a signatory and which the Dr. Choudhary noted that the export
competitive presentations made by the industry is required to comply. of dual-use items and technologies under
companies. “Selection of the awards are India’s Foreign Trade Policy is regulated
sometimes too close to call and in those These include the Stockholm Con- and these dual-use items have been given
cases, it is shared by two companies. And vention, ratifi ed by India on in 2006, the nomenclature of Special Chemicals,
in keeping with the high standard of the to protect human health and environ- Organisms, Materials, Equipment and
awards, occasionally we have not given ment from Persistent Organic Pollutants Technologies (SCOMET). Under SCOMET,
any award for that year,” he said. (POPs) including industrial chemicals chemicals are classifi ed as ‘Category 1’
and pesticides. At present, around 35 and for exporting chemicals under this
In his speech, Professor Aniruddha chemicals are covered under the Stock- category, a license is required from the
B. Pandit, Vice Chancellor, Institute of holm Convention. These chemicals under Directorate General of Foreign Trade.
Chemical Technology (ICT)-Mumbai, the convention are placed under three
said, “Excellence is a very diffi cult concept annexures – A (elimination), B (restriction) He also spoke about the EU REACH
to defi ne and the defi nition of excellence and/or C (unintended release). In anne- legislation and requirements for Indian
keeps on improving when more learning xure B, there are two chemicals listed of exporters to EU.
happens, and the criteria gets added to it. which use of DDT is restricted in India.
The only way to recognise excellence is Use of DDT is banned for agricultural Dr. Choudhary pointed out that the
by excellence itself. You cannot hand over purposes; it is produced in a restricted general trade of most chemicals – be it
the judgment of assessing excellence to manner for use in vector control only, as organic, inorganic pesticides, agrochemi-
mediocre people. As far as the ICC awards India has obtained exemption for use of cals, and dyes & pigments, was being
are concerned, very little or practically no DDT for vector control. done under the ‘others’ category. “We
controversy is generated, which clearly didn’t have dedicated HS codes for all
indicates that the assessment criteria are Dr. Choudhary said the other major the chemicals. DCPC initiated work on
judged by excellent people”. treaty is the Rotterdam Convention, a this and began with pesticides which are
multilateral treaty to promote shared res- already registered commodities,” he said.
ponsibilities in relation to importation of
hazardous chemicals. Around 52 chemi- The government has approved sepa-
cals are listed under various annexures of rate HS code classifi cation for technical
the Convention. grade pesticides thereby moving techni-
cal grade products from Chapter 38 (for
“The chemicals under this Convec- miscellaneous chemicals) to Chapter 29
tion are already declared as hazardous by (for organic chemicals). “24 new dedi-
European nations and if these chemicals cated HS codes have been generated and
have to be exported out of Europe, Prior implemented in the Budget 2023 – 14 HS
Informed Consent (PIC) procedure has codes as organic chemicals under Chap-
Prof. Aniruddha B. Pandit to be followed. The convention promotes ter 29, fi ve dedicated HS codes for tech-
He also underlined the need to share open exchange of information and calls on nical pesticides identifi ed under Chapter
best practices and celebrate excellence. exporters of hazardous chemicals to use 38 and fi ve codes for formulations,” he
“Whether you win or not, participation proper labelling, include directions on safe said and added, “We are targeting zero
is more important, as it will teach you to handling, and inform purchasers of any ‘Others’ category for pesticides under the
keep improving. Excellence is a path and known restrictions or bans,” he said. Chapter 3808”.
a passage, and never a goal,” he stressed.
The Chemicals Weapons Convention The seminar also witnessed the pre-
International conventions and chemical deals with the monitoring of stockpiling, sentation of ‘Responsible Care’ logos to
industry production and storage of the chemicals companies like Anshul Specialty Mole-
In a special address, Dr. Vishal which can either be used as weapons or cules, Best Value Chem, Deepak Nitrite
Choudhary, Deputy Industrial Adviser, have the potential to become a weapon. and Jubilant Ingrevia.

176 Chemical Weekly October 3, 2023

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